County FMR · HUD FY2026

Lawrence County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Lawrence County, IN - 24% below the US average.

$729
1-bedroom FMR
$956
2-bedroom FMR
+3.1%
YoY change
-24%
vs US avg

The verdict

Lawrence is the 14th cheapest of 92 counties in Indiana by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #850 most affordable of 3,145 HUD counties.

#850
most affordable of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#14
cheapest of 92 in Indiana (2BR)
-17%
vs the state average
$29,160
income to afford it (30% rule)

General and Operations Managers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (30.9%); 14 of 15 common occupations here can afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding the 30% threshold.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Lawrence County, IN. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Lawrence County, Indiana at $729 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $956/mo and a studio is $685/mo. This is 24% lower than the national average of $959 and 17% below the Indiana average of $882.

Rent increased3.1% from FY 2025 ($707), outpacing inflation. The 30% affordability floor is comparatively reachable here at $29,160/year.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Indiana. Population: 45,113. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.2%, Census ACS). That's slower than Indiana's statewide growth of +2.6% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area LAWRENCE·COUNTY·IN·IN

Lawrence County, IN: $729/mo 1BR · #850 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA IN
  • 1BR-FMR $729
  • 2BR-FMR $956
  • RANK-MID #850
  • YOY-UP +3.1%
  • VSUS-BELOW -24%
  • VS-ST-LOW -17% IN
  • INC-ROOM 13%
  • POP-SMALL 45K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Marion County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $656–$802
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Marion ($538 1BR gap)

Read with: Section 8 housing guide

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $816 · US avg: $893
$685/mo
↑ 5.1% YoY -16% vs state -23% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $882 · US avg: $959
$729/mo
↑ 3.1% YoY -17% vs state -24% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,096 · US avg: $1,175
$956/mo
↑ 3.0% YoY -13% vs state -19% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,391 · US avg: $1,525
$1,146/mo
↑ 2.0% YoY -18% vs state -25% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,590 · US avg: $1,756
$1,447/mo
↓ 1.0% YoY -9% vs state -18% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $652
$685
+$33 (+5.1%)
1 Bedroom $707
$729
+$22 (+3.1%)
2 Bedroom $928
$956
+$28 (+3.0%)
3 Bedroom $1,123
$1,146
+$23 (+2.0%)
4 Bedroom $1,462
$1,447
$-15 (-1.0%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Lawrence County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
12.5%
Affordable
Need $27,400/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
13.3%
Affordable
Need $29,160/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
17.5%
Affordable
Need $38,240/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
21%
Affordable
Need $45,840/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
26.5%
Affordable
Need $57,880/yr for 30% rule
How we calculate this

Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.

0%100%National avg22%17.5%
Lawrence County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $65,551 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Indiana rent burden →

Where Lawrence sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$956 higher than 27% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). This entry sits in this band. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Above this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026

How Lawrence compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Indiana counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Lawrence is highlighted. Nearby Indiana counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Marion County ($1,267), Hamilton County ($1,267), St. Joseph County ($1,105), Lake County ($1,082), Elkhart County ($992), Allen County ($916), Lawrence County (this county) ($729).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

With a below-average 1-bedroom at $729/mo, most of these Indiana occupations clear, or miss, the 30% affordability line.

Occupation IN Salary Rent Burden Verdict
General & Operations Managers $108,410 8.1% Affordable
Software Developers $103,570 8.4% Affordable
Registered Nurses $80,740 10.8% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $77,410 11.3% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $71,540 12.2% Affordable
Electricians $65,480 13.4% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $60,090 14.6% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $58,370 15% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $50,690 17.3% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $41,600 21% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $40,020 21.9% Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners $35,240 24.8% Affordable
Teaching Assistants $30,460 28.7% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $30,300 28.9% Affordable
Fast Food & Counter Workers $28,290 30.9% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Indiana) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Lawrence County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Lawrence (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 27.9% overall, from $570 to $729. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 10.9% (FY 2023).

$550$600$650$700$750 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $729
Lawrence County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑3.1% $685 $729 $956
FY 2025 ↑6.6% $652 $707 $928
FY 2024 ↑2.0% $606 $663 $871
FY 2023 ↑10.9% $572 $650 $856
FY 2022 ↑0.3% $512 $586 $771
FY 2021 ↑2.5% $507 $584 $769
FY 2020 $506 $570 $751
Total change (6yr): +27.9%
Annualized: +4.2%/yr
1 BR: $570 → $729

Part of the Bedford, IN Micro Area

Lawrence County is a central county of the Bedford, IN micropolitan statistical area.

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Lawrence County, both outside Indiana so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.

Similar 2-bedroom FMR

Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside IN (FY2026).

Clinton County
IA · 2 BR $956/mo
Benton County
IA · 2 BR $956/mo
McCormick County
SC · 2 BR $956/mo
Harrison County
WV · 2 BR $955/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside IN).

Pope County
MN · 17.5% of income · 2 BR $1,053/mo
Stevens County
KS · 17.5% of income · 2 BR $903/mo
Roberts County
SD · 17.5% of income · 2 BR $929/mo
Minidoka County
ID · 17.5% of income · 2 BR $1,022/mo

Nearby Counties in Indiana

Largest counties by population in Indiana

Showing the 8 largest of 91 other counties in Indiana.

Marion County
1 BR: $1,267/mo Pop: 971,737
Lake County
1 BR: $1,082/mo Pop: 497,682
Allen County
1 BR: $916/mo Pop: 385,456
Hamilton County
1 BR: $1,267/mo Pop: 349,527
St. Joseph County
1 BR: $1,105/mo Pop: 272,388
Elkhart County
1 BR: $992/mo Pop: 206,841
Tippecanoe County
1 BR: $1,032/mo Pop: 186,955
Vanderburgh County
1 BR: $860/mo Pop: 179,900
View all counties in Indiana →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Lawrence County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Lawrence County is $729 per month. A 2-bedroom is $956 and a studio is $685.
How does Lawrence County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Lawrence County is 24% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $729 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Lawrence County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Lawrence County's 2-bedroom FMR of $956 ranks #850 most affordable among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Lawrence County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $29,160 ($2,430/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Lawrence County.
Is rent going up or down in Lawrence County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Lawrence County increased by 3.1% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $707 to $729.
Which jobs can afford rent in Lawrence County? ▼
Based on Indiana BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like General and Operations Managers, Software Developers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $729/mo. 14 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Lawrence County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Lawrence County went from $570 in FY 2020 to $729 in FY 2026, a total change of +27.9% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Lawrence County? ▼
In Lawrence County, the FY 2026 FMR of $729/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Lawrence County? ▼
For Lawrence County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($729/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.